Arrangement for presetting a television tuner

ABSTRACT

A compact arrangement for presetting a television tuner, so designed that a motor is driven in response to a signal, such as an ultrasonic wave, given thereto externally and a tuner shaft is rotated by the drive of said motor, whereby channel selection is controlled from a remote point, in which a program switch for stopping the motor at a desired channel but not stopping it at the other channels is arranged on the front side of the tuner, whereby the tuner presetting operation is facilitated.

United States Patent 91 Ichikawa et al.

[451 Feb. 5, 1974 1 ARRANGEMENT FOR PRESE'I'I'ING A TELEVISION TUNER[75] Inventors: Katsumi Ichikawa; Shin Fujie, both of Aichi-ken, Japan[73] Assignee: Matsushlta Electric Industrial Co.,

Ltd., Osaka, Japan 22 Filed: on. so, 1972 21 Appl. No.2 301,806

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 5, 1971 Japan 46/103697 Nov.30, 1971 Japan.... 46/113147 Nov. 30, 1971 Japan 46/113148 [52] US. Cl340/148, 74/1015, 318/467, 325/392 [51] Int. Cl. H04q 1/00, H04b l/06[58] Field of Search 340/148, 171 K; 318/467; 74/10, 10.1, 10.15, 10.2;325/392 12/1964 Kuhl et a1. 318/467 5/1966 Eggman 318/467 X PrimaryExaminer-Donald J. Yusko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stevens, Davis, Miller8!, Mosher [5 7] ABSTRACT [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 3,054,957 9/1962 Shook 318/467 X I! I m.

4 l h II PATENTED 5W SHEU 2 [IF 3 FIG. 5

FIG $56 FIG. 6B

ARRANGEMENT FOR PRESETTING A TELEVISION TUNER This invention relates toan arrangement for presetting a tuner, which enables the channels of atelevision receiving set to be changed by a signal supplied theretoexternally.

Television receiving sets in which the channel selection is effected bya signal externally supplied thereto, generally comprise a programswitch by which a tuner shaft driving motor is stopped at a desiredchannel but is not stopped at the other channels.

In the conventional television receiving sets of the type described, theprogram switch has been provided rearwardly of the tuner for the reasonsthat mounting of the switch is easy and that a relatively wide spaceexists at said portion. Therefore, presetting the program switch hasnecessitated the removal of the backside closure panel of the televisionreceiving set at each time of the presetting and, in addition, muchdifficulty has been encountered in the confirmation of positionalcollation between the receiving channels and the preset channels.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide anarrangement for presetting a television tuner, which obviates the abovedifficulties and is simple in construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sturcture which providesfor a stable opening and closing operation of the present programswitch.

The other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description given in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical plan view of an arrangement embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical elevation of a disc of the arrangment of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical plan view of another arrangement embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the arrangement of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6A 6C are diagrams illustrating a presetting operation inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views of still another arrangement embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX--IX of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional and side views respectively of a part ofthe arrangement of FIG. 7.

An embodiment of the invention will be described hereunder withreference to FIGS. 1 3. In FIGS. 1 3, numeral 1 designates a main bodyof a tuner and 2 a tuner shaft. The tuner shaft 2 has an indicatordriving gear 3 fixedly mounted thereon. Numeral 4 designates a programswitch mounting plate connected to a front end plate 5 of the main body1 of the tuner and this program switch mounting plate 4 has a supportpost 6 fixed thereto. A rotary hub 7 is rotatably telescoped over thesupport post 6 and a gear 8 is fixedly mounted on said rotary hub 7 inmeshing engagement with the gear 3. Also mounted on the rotary hub 7 isa disc 9 which carries a plurality of cams l0 thereon. These cams 10 areurged forwardly by a plate spring 11. As shown in FIG. 3, each cam 10has a driver groove 12 and an arm 13 and can be rotated by a screwdriver or the like applied in said driver groove, to project said armfrom the peripheral edge of the disc 9. Numeral 14 designates a relayswitch by which a motor (not shown) to drive the tuner shaft 2 isconnected with or disconnected from a power source. An arrangement ismade such that, when the arm 13 of the cam 10 is in its tilted position(as shown at A in FIG. 3), the contacts of the relay switch 14 areopened to stop the motor.

Another embodiment of the invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 4 6. In FIG. 4, numeral 1 designates a main body of a tuner and 2a tuner shaft. An indicator driving gear 3 is fixedly mounted on thetuner shaft 2. A program switch mounting plate 4 is fixed to a front endplate 5 of the main body 1 of the tuner and a support post 6 is fixed tosaid program switch mounting plate 4. A rotary hub 7 is rotatablytelescoped over the support post 6 and a gear 8 is fixedly mounted onsaid rotary hub 7 in meshing engagement with the gear 3. A disc 9 ismounted on the rotary hub 7 and a plurality of preset buttons 20 arerotatably mounted in said disc 9. These preset buttons 20 are urgedforwardly by a spring plate 11.

The construction of the disc 9 will be described in greater detail withreference to FIG. 5 and 6A 6C. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the disc 9 and,as seen, the disc 9 has a plurality of notches 25 formed in theperipheral edge portion thereof. Further, the disc 9 has a plurality ofsectoral recesses 26 formed on the backside thereof, each extendinginwardly of the disc from each notched portion of the peripheral edgethereof, and positioning projections 27, 27 are formed on one side wallof each sectoral recess. Each preset button 20 has a leg 28 whichextends perpendicularly from one side of said button and has an indentformed in its outer end face for engagement with the positioningprojections 27, 27. Further, each preset button 20 is formed with adriver groove 29 at its forward end as shown in FIG. 1. In theillustration of FIG. 5, one of the preset buttons 20 is in a position toclose the notch 25 and, in this position of the preset button, aterminal 31 of a relay switch 14 is not allowed to move into the notch25 and said relay switch 14 is held in its closed position. The otherpreset button 20 shown in FIG. 5 is not in the position to close thenotch 25 by its leg 28 and, in this position of the preset button, theterminal 31 of the relay switch 14 is allowed to move into the notch 25and hence the relay switch 14 is opened to stop the motor which drivesthe tuner shaft 2. I

For shifting the preset button 20 from the position shown in FIG. 6A tothe position shown in FIG. 6C to close the notch 25 by its leg 28,.thismay be achieved by applying a screw driver or the like to the drivergroove 29 formed in the forward end of the preset button as shown inFIG. 6B, pushing the preset button against the biasing force of theplate spring plate 1 1 to a position in which the leg 28 is releasedfrom engagement by the positioning projection 27, and thereafter turningthe preset button to a position in which the indent of the leg 28 isengaged by the other positioning projection 27'.

This embodiment has the following advantages:

I. Since the disc having a plurality of the preset buttons mountedtherein is arranged forwardly of the main body of the tuner, presettingof the tuner can be achieved easily from the front side of thetelevision set.

2. The tuner can be preset easily, simply by pushing the preset buttonand turning it until the indent of the leg of said preset button isengaged by the positioning projection.

3. The construction is so simple that the tuner can be reduced in size.

Still another embodiment of the invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 7 9.

In FIGS. 7 9, numeral 41 designates a disc which rotates incident torotation of a tuner shaft (not shown) driven from a motor. This disc 41has notches 42 formed in the peripheral edge portion thereof. Numeral 43designates a second contactor made of an elastic material and having acontact 44 at its forward end portion, and 45 designates a firstcontactor similarly made of an elastic material and having a contact 46at its forward end portion and a depression 47 for contact with theouter peripheral surface of the disc 41. The forward end portion of thefirst contactor 45 is bent at the opposite sides as shown in FIG. 9. Thetwo contactors 43, 45 are mounted on a mounting plate 48 in opposedrelation to each other. A stopper 49 is attached to a bent lug 50 of themounting plate 48 and this stopper is formed with a shoulder 51 to limitthe downward movement of the second contactor 43. As shown in FIGS. and11, the bent lug 50 is formed with a slot 52 and an internally threadedhole 53, while the stopper 49 is formed with a projection 54 and a slot55, so that said stopper 49 may be movable vertically within a certainrange.

In the illustration of FIG. 7, the depression 47 of the first contactor45 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the disc 41. Inthis position of the first contactor 45, the contact 46 provided on saidfirst contactor 45 is held in contact with the contact 44 provided onthe second contactor 43 and said second contactor 43 is urged upwardlyby said first contactor 45.

When the disc 41 rotates further from the position shown in FIG. 7 andthe depression 47 of the first contactor 45 falls in the notch 42 formedin the peripheral edge portion of the disc 41, the contacts 44, 46 aredisconnected as shown in FIG. 8 and thus the tuner shaft driving motoris disconnected from the power source.

This embodiment has the following advantages:

1. Since the downward movement of the forward end portion of the secondcontactor is limited by the stopper, the switch is turned on and offalways at the same position.

2. Since the forward end portion of the first contactor is bent at itsopposite sides, the depression of the first contactor will not besubjected to distortion or deformation when it moves upwardly from thenotch of the disc.

3. Since the second contactor is urged downwardly with a constantpressure while abutting against the shoulder of the stopper, a large andconstant contacting pressure can be obtained without the secondcontactor being substantially deflected by the first contactor and apositive contact between the contacts of said contactors can be ensured.

4. Since the oscillation widths of both contactors can be made small,the contacting pressure does not change and a highly reliable switch canbe obtained.

5. The timing of the ON and OFF operation of the switch can be freelyadjusted by shifting the stopper.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for presetting a television tuner, comprising sensermeans for sensing an externally given signal, such as an ultrasonicwave, to actuate a motor, a tuner shaft driven by said motor to changethe channels of the television set, an indicator driving gear mounted onthe forward portion of said tuner shaft, a program switch mounting plateconnected to a front end plate of a main body of the tuner, a rotary hubrotatably supported on said program switch mounting plate, a gearmounted on said rotary hub in meshing engagement with said indicatordriving gear, a disc mounted on said rotary hub forward of the main bodyof said tuner a plurality of switch operating means provided along theouter peripheral edge portion of said disc in circumferentially equallyspaced relation and a relay switch having a contact held in contact withthe outer peripheral surface of said disc and adapted to connect ordisconnect said motor with or from a power source upon detecting saidswitch operating means being in its retracted or projected position.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said disc has aplurality of notches formed in the outer peripheral edge surface andsectoral recesses formed on the backside each covering each of saidnotches and further has through-holes formed each at a portion of eachof said sectoral recesses, and preset buttons each having a legextending from one side and a driver groove formed in the forward endthereof are inserted through said through-holes respectively from thebackside of said disc and urged forwardly by a spring plate, and furthera plurality of projections are formed in each of said sectoral recessesfor engagement with an indent formed in the leg of each of said presetbuttons.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said disc has aplurality of through-holes therein along a concentric circle incircumferentially equally spaced relation and cams each having a lugprojecting from one side and a driver groove formed in the forward endthereof are inserted through said through-holes respectively from thebackside of said disc and urged forwardly by a spring plate. I

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which there is provided arelay switch comprising a first contactor made of an elastic materialand having a depression in contact with the outer peripheral surface ofthe disc and a contact formed at one end portion thereof, a secondcontactor having a contact formed at one end portion thereof forcooperation with the contact of said first contactor and arranged inopposed relation to said first contactor, a contactor mounting platesupporting said first and second contactors at the other en'ds thereofand formed with a bent lug, and a stopper havshoulder.

1. An arrangement for presetting a television tuner, comprising sensermeans for sensing an externally given signal, such as an ultrasonicwave, to actuate a motor, a tuner shaft driven by said motor to changethe channels of the television set, an indicator driving gear mounted onthe forward portion of said tuner shaft, a program switch mounting plateconnected to a front end plate of a main body of the tuner, a rotary hubrotatably supported on said program switch mounting plate, a gearmounted on said rotary hub in meshing engagement with said indicatordriving gear, a disc mounted on said rotary hub forward of the main bodyof said tuner a plurality of switch operating means provided along theouter peripheral edge portion of said disc in circumferentially Equallyspaced relation and a relay switch having a contact held in contact withthe outer peripheral surface of said disc and adapted to connect ordisconnect said motor with or from a power source upon detecting saidswitch operating means being in its retracted or projected position. 2.An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said disc has a pluralityof notches formed in the outer peripheral edge surface and sectoralrecesses formed on the backside each covering each of said notches andfurther has through-holes formed each at a portion of each of saidsectoral recesses, and preset buttons each having a leg extending fromone side and a driver groove formed in the forward end thereof areinserted through said through-holes respectively from the backside ofsaid disc and urged forwardly by a spring plate, and further a pluralityof projections are formed in each of said sectoral recesses forengagement with an indent formed in the leg of each of said presetbuttons.
 3. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said disc hasa plurality of through-holes therein along a concentric circle incircumferentially equally spaced relation and cams each having a lugprojecting from one side and a driver groove formed in the forward endthereof are inserted through said through-holes respectively from thebackside of said disc and urged forwardly by a spring plate.
 4. Anarrangement according to claim 1, in which there is provided a relayswitch comprising a first contactor made of an elastic material andhaving a depression in contact with the outer peripheral surface of thedisc and a contact formed at one end portion thereof, a second contactorhaving a contact formed at one end portion thereof for cooperation withthe contact of said first contactor and arranged in opposed relation tosaid first contactor, a contactor mounting plate supporting said firstand second contactors at the other ends thereof and formed with a bentlug, and a stopper having a shoulder and vertically movably attached tothe bent lug of said contactor mounting plate to limit the downwardmovement of said second contactor by said shoulder.